


Another Life

by MythicalWillit



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Anxiety, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Hairstylist and Makeup Artist AU, M/M, No Kids - Freeform, Rhett and Link AU, Verbal Abuse, based on Season 10 1st episode, couldn't get it out of my head, slight homophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 23:43:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7661788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythicalWillit/pseuds/MythicalWillit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link works in a small town hair salon, hoping one day to become a hairstylist, despite the bleak outlook. His entire world, and everything he thought of as the norm, is completely changed when a stranger from outside of town crosses his path.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another Life

**Author's Note:**

> I entirely blame the #rhink tag on tumblr for really putting in the Hairstylist/Makeup Artist headcanon. It's been in my head and now I can't get it out. 
> 
> This will be one of my first stories written like this (AU), I normally don't, and the pacing may be a bit odd because I don't know how long it will be. Anyway, enjoy.

“Boy! Sweep up the floor before our afternoon rush comes in, what am I payin' you for, day dreamin'?!”

“A-ah, sorry, yes sir!”

Link Neal hastily jumped up from his seat to grab the broom next to him, his old issue of _GQ Magazine_ falling from his lap onto the black and white checkered floor.

Living in a small North Carolina town where everybody knew everybody (and everybody's business) it was hard to even get this job at all, with this shop being the only hair cutting place around. Even though he managed to get the job, he was pretty much given maintenance tasks; changing the lights, sweeping, and occasionally updating the Facebook page about weekly specials.

Link wasn't truly given the opportunity to do what he really wanted to do. He wanted to be a hairstylist, for men and women. He wanted to give people a new outlook on themselves, and on life. If only he could do that for himself. When the young man once asked the owner's wife Mrs. Fairchild, who was also the shop's receptionist, she laughed almost derisively, patting him on the head like a child.

“Oh, _Charles_!” She would call out between gasps of laughter, which would always make Link shift uncomfortably when called his given name. “Leave the stylin' to the ladies. You ain't got no business doin' hair.” Her southern accent was heavy and a constant reminder for Link of the bubble he was trapped in, unable to create, and put into a social mode that was generally accepted as the norm.

Men were not hairstylists here. He was laughed at for even wanting to work at the shop. According to society, he was supposed to be an engineer or something, married with a kid or two by now.

Holding back a sigh that radiated dejection and annoyance, he walked away, pretending not to hear Mrs. Fairchild return to her conversation on the phone line. “Yeah, sorry about that, Charles was... yeah, you got it, askin' about cuttin' hair like he knows what he's doing. Really! You would think he's... you know.” Her voice dropped to a hush whisper and she would giggle, beady eyes watching Link suspiciously.

Link's ears would burn with anger, and shame.

Coming out his reverie, he tucked a curl behind his ear and leaned in to sweep hair out of a corner. As he swept it all up into a neat pile to be deposited in a trash bin, he heard his name called by a bell-like, wispy voice.

“Good morning, Charles!”

Smiling a little, he went over to a much older woman, small and dressed neatly in a purple dress, sitting under a hair dryer. Her fine silver hair was in rollers, and she looked over at Link with a warm, weathered smile. “You need to eat more! You get skinnier every time I see you.”

“Mornin', Mrs. Gardener.” He chuckled and tilted his head in greeting. “May I get you anything? A glass of water? A magazine?”

Her pale blue eyes twinkled and she shifted in her seat. “Such a sweet boy, you are. I'm good.” She carried on, looking at him up and down. “Nice, handsome boy. You should come by the restaurant and let my granddaughter serve you something good! You know her, right? Very pretty girl. You and her would get along so nicely...” Her eyes took on a far off, dreamy look.

Link coughed and cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck, fighting back his blush. “Maybe some other time. So, getting your usual wash and style today?”

Mrs. Gardener hummed thoughtfully, apparently letting the subject drop (for now) and nodding. “Why yes, I am! Same cut for the past 15 years. I'm too old for change now.”

“It's never too late to try something new, ma'am.” Link ignored how the words weighed heavily on his own tongue, hitting too close to home. Swallowing, he leaned on the broom slightly, back arched and crossing his legs at the ankle. “Maybe you can do bangs, or a layered cut...”

“Son, when you start doing hair finally, you can give me the works! Make me look young again!” She laughed and reached out to him, and Link smiled gratefully, taking her small, wrinkled hand in his much larger one. She leaned forward, as if whispering something that was a big secret. “And I know you will, one day.”

Link gently squeezed the offered hand before letting go. “You may be the only one around who believes that, ma'am.”

“ _BOY_! Stop botherin' the customers and finish sweeping! And when you're done with that I need you to do the windows!”

Link jumped slightly from the suddenly loud voice booming at him from across the store and sighed. “Better get back to work. See you next week.”

“Same time, same place, honey.” The old woman smiled and gave a knowing wink.

Link neatly and efficiently swept and dusted the small shop, the act of cleaning calming his nerves. He rummaged through the cleaning supply closet until he found glass cleaner and a rag. He went up front to the large windows. He paused and looked at his own reflection.

Link was tall, but not overly so. He had dark brown hair that was almost black. Earlier, it was styled carefully, a little long and side swept over his forehead. However, with all of the manual labor, his hair eventually became a bit disheveled, and his bangs fell haphazardly over his temple. He wore a plain, faded blue t-shirt and an apron with the shop's logo on it. His jeans were tight and fitted to his lean frame.

I don't even look like a hairstylist. I just look... boring. Link sighed, ignoring the pang in his chest as he sprayed the window with the glass cleaner. He wiped in large, quick circles as he listened half-heartedly to two women talking amongst themselves while waiting to be seen.

“You see all those fancy cars and trucks coming through yesterday? I heard a celebrity or a model is here!”

“What! Quit pullin' my leg! What on Earth would they be doing in our little town?”

“Well, my friend said that HER friend said it's a photo shoot or something. Apparently North Carolina is...”

Link tuned them out, blue eyes fixed to a streak on the glass as he wiped it away. _A celebrity, huh? Probably thought a hick town like this wouldn't care about their presence._ He moved his bored gaze from the clean glass to the outside, watching the people pass by.

And that is when Link saw the most interesting-looking man ever at the crosswalk.

 _Who is **he**? _ Link adjusted his glasses and leaned forward, resisting the urge to press his face into the glass. The man was _definitely_ not from here. He stood out like a giant, towering over everyone else, yet so graceful in the way he held himself. He had dirty blonde hair styled in a unique way that Link has never seen in person before.

He was... _Handsome._ Link admitted with a little blush, eyes widening as he looked at him up and down. The mysterious man also carried a stainless steel case on wheels, and was dressed in a pair of tight black jeans, expensive looking boots, and a crisp, black button up shirt, rolled up at the sleeves.

Suddenly, the man turned his head to look at him, as if he felt Link's gaze several feet away.

 _Oh crap!!_ Link felt his face get hot and hastily resumed cleaning the window, averting his eyes.

He ignored the feeling of being watched, well used to the odd stares he would get from the townsfolk anyway. Apparently he ignored it so well that he didn't even notice the tall blonde cross the street.

Maybe if he did, Link would've noticed how the man smiled a little at him while crossing.

Maybe, just _maybe_ , Link would've noticed the strange man walk right into the shop.

**Author's Note:**

> Poor Link and his sucky job. I wonder what will happen next? ;) Thanks for reading, let me know what you think.


End file.
